


stumbling towards that bleak future

by BridgetMcKennitt



Category: Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Dark, M/M, Power Dynamics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-09
Updated: 2012-07-09
Packaged: 2017-11-09 12:26:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/455439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BridgetMcKennitt/pseuds/BridgetMcKennitt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There was something about Peeta that caught Cato's eye. Too bad they're trapped in the arena and there's only one way to win. That doesn't mean though that Cato can't have some fun along the way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	stumbling towards that bleak future

**Author's Note:**

  * For [coricomile](https://archiveofourown.org/users/coricomile/gifts).



Cato's eyes tracked the boy from District 12 as he moved from station to station with the girl from District 12, the one who volunteered for her sister and captured the attention of the Capitol. He snorted before turning his attention towards the dummy in front of him.

"Something the matter, Cato? Wait, don't bother answering. That might give me an advantage over you during the Hunger Games." Clove shifted next to his side and he barely gave her a glance before throwing his javelin.

"Nothing is the matter. I am merely taking in the competition."

"No one here is competition compared to us. Everyone else are just lambs to the slaughter."

Cato couldn't agree more with Clove's assessment. When it came down to it, the final two were going to be him and her. Then he saw the District 12 boy in his peripheral vision and ducked his head to hide his smirk. Until that moment occurred, there would be plenty of time to play with the other tributes. Once they were back at their quarters in the Training Center tower, he was going to find out what the boy's name was. There were certain things there weren't allowed to do within the arena, like cannibalism, because it would turn the stomachs of the Capitol citizens, but Cato knew how far he could push things.

*

Peeta. The boy from District 12's name was Peeta. He was a baker's son and there was absolutely nothing about him that made him worthy of being a Tribute. Then he watched some feeds of him and Cato found himself intrigued. Peeta knew how to play a crowd, knew how to make himself _likeable_. Peeta wanted to live and was trying to create a persona for himself in order to do so.

Cato turned the feeds off and began formulating a plan. He could use Peeta within the arena. He could use him _and_ still have a little fun with him.

*

With each scream and lifeless body falling to the ground, Cato felt another rush of power. _This_ was what he'd been training for all of his life. This is why he stepped forward and volunteered for District 2. It felt like each death only supported the righteousness he felt. They were weak and he was strong.

He met Clove's gaze as the only tributes remaining were the ones they had planned on teaming up with during their training, those from the Districts 1 and 4. Everyone else near the Cornucopia were dead. It was time to gather the supplies and weapons and go hunting.

"I can't wait until the bodies are cleared out. I hope it happens before they start to reek," said Clove.

"Too bad we can't drag someone here to clean up for us," Marvel said as he looked around in disgust. "Actually, we should do that. What do you think?"

"It sounds good to me. It shouldn't be hard to find some sniveling tribute who didn't make it far enough away from us." Cato smirked at the thought of maybe torturing the tribute before making them do their dirty work.

It wasn't hard nor did it take them that long to find another tribute. He was a little boy from District 3 and Glimmer flushed him out from a bush.

Cato pulled the boy closer by the front of his shirt, nearly lifting him off the ground. "It's your lucky day. You get to live a little while longer. Your job is to guard our supplies and make sure no one else tries to take our things. You can do that, can't you?"

"I can." The boy gulped. "I can make it so if anyone tries to take your supplies, they'll be blown to bits."

"How?"

"The mines around the platforms. I can use rewire those."

It sounded like something someone from District 3 could do so Cato only nodded. Clove jabbed the boy in the back with one of her knives.

"Then start doing it. We're going hunting and if we can come back and you're not done...then your life will be even shorter than you expected. Got that?"

The boy nodded and Cato motioned for everyone to follow him into the forest. Somewhere within the arena, Peeta was hiding and he was going to be the one to find him. Cato hoped the actual look on Peeta's face when he killed him would be as sweet as he had been imagining.

*

They found him.

It hadn't been as difficult as Cato expected and he felt mild disappointment before he shrugged it off. He was never competition. That distinction fell solely to the girl from District 12, the Girl On Fire. Katniss.

Peeta didn't look afraid as he stared them down, despite being injured. Clove stood next to him, fingering her knife like she was just waiting to slide the blade into Peeta's flesh.

"You're not going to kill me," Peeta finally said. The words were steady and filled with confidence.

"Oh yeah? Why's that?"

"Because if I'm dead, then how else will you track down Katniss and kill her?"

Glimmer's eyes widened while Cato merely raised an eyebrow. "You would help us do that?" he asked.

"I can help. I won't kill her, but I can help." He looked away as if the thought of Katniss was too much for him to handle.

"You love her, don't you? All that talk during your interview was real." Cato snorted. "Well then, Lover Boy, we'll give you a shot." He stepped forward suddenly and grabbed Peeta by his shirt with a clenched fist. "But if you betray us, I am going to personally make sure your death is brutal and painful."

"Understood."

"Then let's get going. Where did she go?"

"I don't know exactly where she went, but I have an inkling. She'd want to hide in the forest. She's always felt comfortable in the forest, away from prying eyes."

*

They found a girl by a campfire and Cato's heart pounded at the excitement of killing her. Peeta hung back from the pack as they ran in, not wanting to dive in, but Cato expected that. Peeta was too soft to be a murderer, but then again, he didn't need to be. He was their tracker and he was good for one thing only.

The girl pleaded for her life and Clove made her scream. As much as Cato loved killing, Clove had a particular talent with it. They laughed, not Peeta, and Marvel cried out, "Twelve down and eleven to go!"

In a surprising turn of events though, Peeta volunteered to finish off the girl so the cannon would sound. Cato didn't expect that of him.

"Go on then, Lover Boy. See for yourself."

Cato watched him track through the forest before meeting Clove's gaze. He didn't like surprises. If he wanted to win, and he did, he needed to figure Peeta out.

*

Peeta looked innocent as he slept. There was no danger of him waking up and slaughtering everyone in their sleep. Cato trailed his finger along Peeta's cheek and wondered what Peeta would do if he slipped his finger inside his mouth.

No one was awake. The only ones who'd know what he was doing was the audience and while some might be disgusted, the rest would be watching with rapt attention.

Cato shifted so he could be closer to Peeta's body. He ran his hand down Peeta's side before trailing it back up to Peeta's face. Peeta didn't stir and that spurred Cato on. He got up onto his knees and slowly took out his cock. It was night and even if the cameras could catch him clearly, they would blur things enough for the audience.

He stared down at Peeta, letting his thoughts run wild as he pumped his cock. He imagined Peeta awake and on his knees, eyes bright and soft as he sucked Cato down. He imagined wrestling with Peeta until he could pin him down and make Peeta take it. He imagined breaking Peeta's neck and watching him crumple to the ground. Cato imagined himself the Victor of the Hunger Games.

He came and as he pumped his cock, he made sure to get every last drop of come to land on Peeta's body. He leaned down so he could whisper into Peeta's ear. After what he just did, Cato knew the cameras were straining to pick up his words. "I'm going to be the one who kills you, Lover Boy. First I'll kill _her_ and then I'll kill you."

Cato sat back before tucking himself away and a few moments later, it began to rain. He laughed as everyone woke up, and by the time Peeta was fully awake, Cato's come had washed off of him like it had never happened. The Gamemakers were on his side, he knew it.

"Let's get moving," he said. "Lover Boy still needs to find us his girl."

Peeta glanced at him with unease in his eyes.

Good.


End file.
